Romain Bardet left with ‘small hemorrhage’ after Tour de France concussion
MRI scan confirms Bardet was concussed in crash before riding on to the finish of stage 13.
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Romain Bardet suffered a hemorrhage as a consequence of his Tour de France crash Friday.
The Frenchman crashed along with Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic). While Mollema abandoned immediately with a broken wrist, Bardet stood, fell to the ground, and then unsteadily remounted his bike to race to the finish.
The Ag2r-La Mondiale captain confirmed later Friday night that he would be abandoning the race, citing a possible concussion.
Bardet provided an update on his condition via Instagram on Saturday, confirming that his fall had led to a concussion and hemorrhage.
“The MRI performed this morning confirmed a small hemorrhage as a result of the concussion,” Bardet wrote. “With rest for an indefinite period of time, I should quickly recover. Thank you all for your messages.”
Ag2r-La Mondiale confirmed that Bardet had a scan at Clermont-Ferrand hospital Saturday morning.
“[The scan] showed that the rider did not suffer from any serious injury but confirmed the signs of concussion diagnosed on Friday which will require several weeks of rest,” said team doctor Eric Bouvat.
Bardet’s crash and his being allowed to ride to the finish of stage 13 in the Massif Central has opened the debate around concussion in cycling, something that has been a sticky topic throughout the past decade.
Tour de France neurologist Paul-Henri Jost explained the decision to let Bardet race on after being assessed on the road on Saturday.
“He spoke clearly,” Jost told AFP. “He asked for painkillers and gave their names correctly. These are reassuring elements in a neurological examination.”
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